HOUSTON – Texans wide receiver Tank Dell suffered a gunshot wound to his leg a week ago as an innocent bystander during a mass shooting in Florida, sustaining a flesh wound that went through one side of the leg and exited through the other side, according to sources.
Dell is both “very lucky” to be alive and to have avoided structural damage to his leg, per sources, as he was in the middle of a crossfire in Sanford, Fla., between two shooters with one 16-year-old suspect arrested and in custody,
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Dell is healing up quickly and is considered likely to be cleared for physical activity at some point this spring and is expected to make a full recovery in advance of training camp in July, per sources.
Dell was released from the hospital last Sunday and traveled back to Houston after being shot last Saturday night during an altercation he wasn’t a part of at Cabana Live. Ten people, including Dell, a former University of Houston standout, suffered non-life-threatening injuries. Most of the victims, including Dell, sustained leg injuries, according to Seminole County law enforcement officials.
Dell posted a photograph of himself on Instagram on Friday wearing the Texans’ new red uniform with a caption: ‘God I thank you’ along with a praying hands emoji.
Since the incident,, Dell has been at the Texans’ training facility to meet with team officials, including coach DeMeco Ryans
“We have been made aware that Tank Dell was a victim of a shooting in Sanford, Fla., last night,” the Texans said in a statement last weekend. “He sustained a minor wound, but has been released from the hospital and he is in good spirits. We are in contact with him and his family and will provide more updates when appropriate, but we ask that you please respect his privacy at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in the incident.”
Dell was in Florida to visit his mother in his hometown of Daytona Beach.
The Texans’ dynamic wide receiver previously made a full and speedy recovery from a broken fibula that interrupted a strong rookie season.
Dell has been participating in the Texans’ offseason conditioning program, participating in extra throwing sessions with Pro Bowl quarterback C.J. Stroud and extra training sessions with NFL trainer Justin Allen and private coach Delfonte Diamond.
“He looks great,” Stroud said in April. “He’s gotten a lot better. Mentally, I think for both of us, really all of the rookies coming into Year 2, everything is starting to slow down, and the wheels aren’t turning so much up in your head. You’re starting to play ball. Being able to throw with him in L.A. was really big.”
Dell was on track for 73 catches, 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns when he got hurt. Dell broke tight end Owen Daniels’ rookie franchise record for touchdown catches.
Four of the Texans’ catches of at least 20 yards or more came on Dell touchdown receptions. That’s the third-highest mark in the league for any receiver with touchdowns of at least 20 yards, at the time of his injury.
“Tank is back and he’s starting to get in with our guys here with the offseason programs,” Ryans said on April 15 at NRG Stadium. “So, I’m excited to have Tank back. That was a devastating loss for us last year, losing him. He’s such a dynamic player for us, such an inspiration for myself, a lot of our team. So, I’m excited to see Tank back working with our guys, and excited to see him make that same jump I talked about from Year One to Year Two.”
Perhaps Dell could become a Pro Bowl selection one day.
“I think so, too,” trainer Justin Allen said. “I think the injury cut him short, but God has a plan. I’m excited to see what he does Year 2 and he will reap all the benefits. One thing I like working with him is his attitude. You can’t teach it. Very few players have that type of talent with his mindset and humble eagerness.”
“To be honest with you, he hasn’t lost a beat,” trainer Delfonte Diamond told KPRC 2. “He looks 10 times faster. Yes sir, he’s a special breed. He’s moving like he’s always been doing. He ran full speed.”
Dell previously told KPRC he would be ready for organized team activities in the spring.
“He’ll be more than ready for the time OTAs jump off,” Diamond said. “He’s way ahead of schedule. I can’t wait to see No. 3 put that helmet back on. That first year was the teaser. He’s fixing to up the price.”
Watching his good friend, Stroud, put on a show at the Pro Bowl Games only provided more motivational fuel for Dell to get back on the field catching passes from the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
“Yeah, definitely by the time they come back, I’m going to hit the ground running,” Dell told KPRC 2 during the Tristar Productions autograph show at NRG Arena after the season. “I’m going to be ready. I’m just waiting on 7 and those guys to come back from enjoying their time off and we’ll get back to work.
“The offseason has been good, just rehab every day, Monday through Friday, Saturdays on my own. Trying to get one percent better, so, once we do come back for OTAs, I’m ready to go.”
Dell got hurt in the 11th game of the season while blocking on a red-zone run as bodies awkwardly crumpled his leg in a scrum.
Although the season ended prematurely and Dell could have provided a boost to the AFC South champions, the Florida native still set a franchise rookie record with seven touchdown catches. He finished with 47 receptions for 709 yards.
Dell put on a show as a rookie, delivering a series of dynamic performances in a potent passing connection with Stroud.
Although relatively undersized at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, Dell excelled through a combination of crisp route running skills, body control and speed.
Now, Dell is working on achieving another quality: patience.
“I just feel that was a test run for me,” Dell said. “I had a lot more to display, but God puts you through things for a reason. So I just kept my head up. I know the years to come are going to be special here. It’s going to be good.”
The Texans, one year removed from a 3-13-1 season under former coach Lovie Smith, finished 11-8 under coach DeMeco Ryans and won the division title for the first time since the 2019 season. They won a playoff game over the Cleveland Browns before falling in the AFC divisional round to the Baltimore Ravens.
“It’s been great seeing the guys accomplish so much,” Dell said. “So many people sold us short this year. We wanted more, but that’s just a steppingstone, a starting point, to what we’re going to be in the future.”
When Dell got hurt, he was in the hospital to undergo surgery to repair the damage to his leg. During that time of his convalescence, he was visited or got messages from multiple teammates.
“Tank is my brother,” Stroud said. “I don’t think blood can make us any closer. I think it shows on the field, and we’re going to build on that. It happens naturally. We’re boys. You don’t force stuff with your boy. We’re both tremendously excited to keep this going and work hard to be great.”
Dell has an infectious personality and a love for the game. He’s wide open on his routes because of his ability to convincingly sell a route.
Now, it’s time for a comeback.
“God gives his strongest soldiers the toughest battles, so it made me grow a lot and made me sit back and really dedicate my whole life to playing football,” Dell said. “It showed me how much I need this sport. This is what keeps me going. This is my blessing in life, I feel like, just to be out here and put smiles on other people’s faces. The fans, the coaches, my teammates.”
The bond that Dell and Stroud built together is a strong one.
They’re counting on each other to manufacture an even better season together after engineering a turnaround last year.
“That came to fruition, so we’re just trying to keep going,” Dell said. “Everybody knows the end goal is the Super Bowl. So from this day forward, it’s what we’re working toward.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.